Black Panther's Chadwick Boseman Recalls His Experience With Racism
Chadwick Bosmen is in the process of making history, but he hasn't forgotten where he came from. The 41-year-old is set to star as the black superhero in Marvel's Black Panther.
Marvel fans might consider Black Panther to be Boseman's breakout role, but he has memorably played Thurgood Marshall, Jackie Robinson, and James Brown.
However, following the anticipation behind Black Panther, the actor is cautious to make predictions beyond the silver screen.
"I hesitate to jump on that 'Oh, it's a movement' thing. Because it depends on how it opens. I mean, it's got to happen first right?" Boseman told Mr Porter.
Boseman further explained that people should actually go out and see the film rather than trying to stream it online. The actor doesn't have to worry about that because it is estimated that Black Panther could sell out box offices and rank in between $100-$200 million on its first week.
Chadwick Calls For A Change
Although it may have taken him a while, the actor is grateful to have reached this point. In the interview with Mr Porter, the Get On Up star reflected on his career and stated that he often wonders why it took him so long to get here.
However, he has realized that black actors really have to put the work in order to be successful. Boseman shared during the interview that he grew up in South Carolina and has experienced racism firsthand.
"When I was shooting Black Panther in Atlanta, I used to drive back on off-days to go see my family in Anderson. It's about two hours. And I would see the Klan holding rallies in a Walmart car park," Boseman continued.
As critics speculate that Black Panther would make history, Boseman thinks America is going forward and backwards at the same time. He explained that change is working on Black Panther, but still driving past the Ku Klux Klan.
Change may not be immediate or perfect, but what was perfect was the reviews from Black Panther's first screening.
On Jan. 29, Black Panther had its first premiere in Los Angeles. Moviegoers called the film "purposeful" and "incredible" and appreciated that it also had a social message.
Apart from Boseman, Black Panther also stars Michael B. Jordan, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, and Andy Serkis.
Black Panther will hit theaters on Feb. 16.
